Christchurch's Second Earthquake.

The pictures haunt us as the numbers of those dead climb. Many wait with grief in their hearts for news of the loved ones still missing.


But the happy grateful stories also trickle in to lift the sadness. I heard one story that warmed my heart and made me cry with thankfulness! A friend though homeschooling circles was meant to go into Christchurch to do some work with homeschoolers, but because they had planned seminar for the next day, she deferred her trip into Christchurch until the next day ( the day after the quake), thus missing the earthquake at it's worst point - so although her home was shaken, she was safe. This is what her husband wrote, "She would have been right in the wrong place when it hit. We are being well looked after by the Lord. It didn't take us long to be thankful I can tell you. She goes to Community House which backs on to the Square and only a stone's throw from the Cathedral. She may never have come home."

I keep thinking too, imagine if it had hit on the day of the homeschooling seminar, so many more children's lives would have been effected. And so with many tears and payers for those who suffer, we can still lift out hearts in thankfulness for those who have been kept safe.

Want to know why God allows suffering? Listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD1yv4J6ohE 

And here are some news link to Christchurches earthquake:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/gallery-fn7z04co-1226010753415?page=12
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708630 
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708579
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=116973 
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/image.cfm?c_id=1&gal_gid=116972&gallery_id=116969#7389132 

Here is a happy story http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=10708856&gallery_id=116993
And a rescue story http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_gid=116973&gallery_id=116972

My mother: I love her

My mother is there when I am crying, helping me to stay strong - even when she is sad too.

My mother is there to share each joy, making the happiness even happier because it is shared. 

My mother looks after children with me from 20 year old needs of encouragement to 3 year old temper tantrums and Gruffello stories My mother sometimes babysits when it is too early for any sane retiree to be up or too late for that matter too. She does not complain when it is too long or too late; and says thank you for the guilty chocolate or flowers which could never express my gratitude and thankfulness!

And last but not least she is helping me with spelling tests - phew, what a relief! As far as I am concerned only an angel would do that! 

Thank you Mom, for being such a wonderful mother/ grandmother! We love you! 

Motherhood never ends, it grows with your children and their children too!

Ann Owed Two the Spelling Checker

My Dad sent me this delightful email today!

 

 Joshua appeared to have great confidence in spell checkers this morning, so he will be interested to read this:

Ann Owed Two the Spelling Checker

(Original source unknown)

 This entire poem ran through my spelling checker (Microsoft Word 5.1 for Macintosh) without a single mistake being caught:

Eye have a spelling checker
It came with my Pea Sea
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it’s weight
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two read,
And aides me when aye rime.
Each frays comes posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule
The checker pours o’er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
Be fore a veiling checkers
Hour spelling mite decline,
And it were lacks or have a laps,
We wood be maid to wine.
Butt now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
There are know faults with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.
Now spelling does knot phase me,
It does knot bring a tier.
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped words fare as hear.
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud.
And wee mussed dew the best wee can
Sew flaws are knot aloud.
Sow ewe can sea why aye dew prays
Such soft ware four pea seas,
And why I brake in two averse
By righting want too pleas.

 (PS US Spell Chequers will catch cheque)

Erica was amused about English words that are similar; well, how about this:

Why the English Language is Hard to Learn

• The bandage was wound around the wound.
• The farm was used to produce produce.
• The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
• We must polish the Polish furniture.
• He could lead if he would get the lead out.
• The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
• Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
• A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
• When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
• I did not object to the object.
• The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
• There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
• They were too close to the door to close it.
• The buck does strange things when the does are present.
• A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
• To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
• The wind was too strong for us to wind the sail.
• After a number of injections my jaw got number.
• Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
• I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
• How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

 Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England nor French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

 We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

 And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

 If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?

 One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?

 Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend, that you can comb through annals of history but not a single annal?

 If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of either one of them, what do you call it?

 If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

 By the way, how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike?

 How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another?

 Have you noticed that we talk about certain things only when they are absent? Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or a strapful gown?

 Or met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or peccable?

 And where are all those people who ARE spring chickens or who would ACTUALLY hurt a fly? Where did the beauty who was OUT OF THIS WORLD go?

 You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

 English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which, of course, isn't a race at all).

 That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible. However, when the lights are out, they are invisible.

 Why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?

 And lastly, why do we have to hit the START button first to STOP running 'Windows'!!?!

 Confusion, thy name is English!

 Love Dad / Granddad

Baby Hatches

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/18/3143168.htm

Above is an interesting ABC clipping of a baby hatch system where Japanese mothers can safely leave their babies in good care. This has been happening for over a decade in South Africa and is a good opportunity to prevent abortions and fatal abandonment!


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2621260/Hole-in-the-wall-baby-bin-where-children-are-left-by-their-mothers-for-adoption-in-Johannesburg-South-Africa.html

(The photograph on this page is disturbing, poor darling... )

http://www.doorofhope.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=73

Homeschooling Special Needs Kids: Curriculum Choices and Methods

I have had two kids with professionally diagnosed ADD, who are now in tertiary education and doing well in the polytechnic/polytechnicon/TAFE context. This was before the time of much knowledge on how to help kids with special needs in the home schooling context....but just going at their pace and unknowingly possibly pushing them a little harder than most would think them capable, has helped. For ADD (minus the hyperactive aspect - just the visual and auditory processing) I have found that setting a date for something a very useful thing to learn and I wish I had done that more often.....as long as it is a realistic date, it teaches them to commit to paper - which is particularity hard for ADD students, and particularly important for further studies. My ADD kids tend to be perfectionists, and want to do well - so get a mental blank about 'getting going' and therefore finishing an assignment - I am told this is very common in ADD circles. They also struggled with wanting to know every inch of the curriculum before they start a project/assignment/test ... an impossible feat in the real world usually and so dare I say in home schooling maybe we can help kids learn to skip the not so important things sometimes, if they have this tendency! ( I find we have the tendency to want to cover everything as home schooling mums too!)

Two other of our kids is on the autistic spectrum, although high functioning, one has developmental needs while the other is academically gifted, their needs are a mixture that overlap with another kid who has no label at all but struggled with school work - just for the sake of it :-) .

Re speech therapy needs I have had two, one was very severe, and reading for both of them was/is very difficult to learn. But saying that I did find that reading/practising sounds etc was a double up for speech issues. (I had a third child who did not have the speech issues only the reading)  I eventually nicknamed these kid's reading problems as having 'reading dispraxia' as it followed the same pattern as speech dispraxia - I don't know if there is such a label???

Their greatest difficulty for reading was to learn firstly the alphabet/phonics and then to see and read a whole word. Essential whole words that could had to be learnt as sight words seemed insurmountable for these kids for years.....learning words like 'the' for 3 years seems unfathomable to us, but is sadly a reality for some. (It needs a compassionate, kind and gentle teacher indeed!)

Once they grasped the basics of alphabet and phonics, I hit another problem with these kids with reading; that is when they sounded a word out they had forgotten the letters at the beginning of the word by the time they came to the end of the word. And I am not talking about this happening for a little while - but again an ongoing such agony for years!

Eventually I discovered a 'Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons', which I hate for any normal reading process but it is brilliant for kids with this type for reading problem! http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Teach+Your+Child+to+Read+in+100+Easy+Lessons/002274/1297112102-1061901

Something I figured with these children was that having a different curriculum for the younger sibling especially if they are very bright great ( even if you have to borrow something different for them for a while) At least initially they are not always constantly being compared as the younger child inevitably flies ahead of the older. It is worth the extra work and effort on your part when it is very tempting to just 'combine your class' for a while!

Another thing I figured is to use the special needs child's special interest/gift to help with difficulties in reading ...one of these children is good at art, so we bought the Draw Write Now program, she has been writing out things she cannot read for months - just for fun! And it definitely has helped the reading process as she becomes more familiar with words. (copy work - with a difference!)  We started a personal recipe book (recipes typed out) for the other when he was little. He has caught up and is at his age level now as he hits high school, although he still struggles with stamina though a whole day.

Maths: My big older boys who love maths cruised through Saxon, while I have found that kids with issues seem to do better with Teaching Textbooks as they can instantly see when they have got something right or wrong! This instant response is fabulous and unless you have one child it is impossible to maintain such avid attention; and even if it were possible to sit and watch a maths lesson and mark every question as you go along would be pretty excruciating; at least I think so!

English: I have just discovered a Charlotte Mason program for English called Language Lessons by Sandra Queen, and love it particularity for those with extra needs as it is so gentle and interesting. It is concise and for me, none of it feels like a waste of time - I come away feeling uplifted after teaching with it! See  http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1297112102-1061901&subject=4&category=6960  Of course nothing beats reading to a child a lot either!

I add vocabulary cartoons when kids have learnt to read well, it makes vocabulary such hilarious fun see http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1297112102-1061901 . And then add Winston Grammar for early high school/late junior depending on the child - it uses multiple learning styles http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1297112102-1061901 . And everyone from 20 to 3 has used/uses Macroworks Word Wizard Spelling program, http://www.macroworks.com.au/word-wizard.php . By high school I introduce ABEKA literature, before that we just read and read and read whatever we love reading. We also use all of Excellence in Writing Courses as a child becomes fluent in thought and writing.

I love the South African SMILE educational toys etc for early Maths and English / thinking skills and have used those particularity for my kids who have extra needs. I really, really love them! http://www.smileeducationaustralia.com.au/international.htm

On-line computer programs: Starfall for English reading has been really helpful for remedial work, More Starfall is excellent and worthy of payment when you have done all of the Starfall for free. More Starfall has excellent basic maths too...learning numbers, learning +-x/ etc . Matheletics http://www.mathletics.com.au/  looks good and is highly recommended but we have never had the money to try it, the boys do their world maths day for free though!

I keep a child at G 1-3 level until they are ready to move on to more serious work, even if they are not at age appropriate levels....it is just agony and discouraging for both teacher and child if they cannot cope with G 4 level and are being pushed beyond their ability, besides they miss out on essential basics that are necessary building blocks. ( You have to try Ruth Beechicks books, the 3 R's to understand this fully. Her books are wonderfully practical with lots of game ideas)

For science and social studies I can often read/teach well above their reading/writing ability. I use Abeka Science for g 1-3 level with lots of nature study! Then Apologia Science right through to the end of high school - together with science kits, science DVDs and experiment books for fun (Usborne/Kingfisher type). The kids mostly are self motivated for science kits and experiments. We do scrap booking or just reading for elementary work and when kids are ready they combine Excellence in Writing with science write ups/ or use the proper science journaling that Apologia recommends, when our children are ready. The hardest jump is to the General Science, that 1 st chapter needing the most help from the teacher, especially for those who struggle.

Initially we use Story of the World and Mystery of History audio for social studies. We progress to scrap booking/journaling Mystery of History combining with Excellence in Writing when kids are ready. At high school level we move to Abeka History and Geography, minus all the American stuff! And add things pertinent to the countries we have lived in.

Gifted children are often not in this category of special needs but they do require a program that has extra stimulation and from that point of view needs more effort and thought.  SMARR English is good for a meaty English program.  Excellence in Writing's Advanced courses, SAT prep etc are a must.  And we are looking forward to using Apologia Advanced courses for one child.

This is just a skeleton - hope it helps. Feel free to add your tips in comments! Teaching Special kids is a real blessing if we can have the right attitude of patience, love and kindness! God bless you all, Joy

An Education Quote

"Much education today is monumentally ineffective.  All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants." - John W Gardner (1912-2002)

Queensland, Australia needs continued prayer

Brisbane flooding may have been abandoned by international press but there is still a park bench sitting wedged in a tall tree in Goodna. Sadder still are the ghost shops and homes...where people still fight dried mud and it's consequences. Or should it be 'fried mud' as the heat keeps hitting us at sun up; humidity is also at it's best as it squeezes out a free and easy feeling of breathing. Oh how I take almost guilty pleasure in the joy of airconditioning! I noticed today that cement is still being pumped under the Ipswich Motorway in little dribs and drabs though a garden hose sized hose as giant trucks rumble high above. You can see where the river eroded the edge of the man made hill, where it had no business to be. And you wonder if the Ipswich Motorway designers had calculated what an enormous cement swimming pool/dam they were creating in flood times - the rows of shops alongside the Motorway bear witness to this. Or would they have been hit despite the new cement monster of a motorway was that we were all nagging for but a few years ago - weary of slow commuting to and from Brisbane.

Some flood hit residents have returned to their shells of homes, and make do. Others are lucky enough to have elsewhere to live for a while.  Brisbane City is reported to have hit an all time high for homeless victims as lower income renters have nowhere to call home. I thought Evacuation Centres were to remain open until everyone was properly housed - so why are people being reported to be sleeping in cars?

And yet our focus and prayers today are shifted to those who are about to face yet another Queensland crises up North, as the catastrophic CycloneYasi threatens to rip lives apart. Like ants humans run have run hither and thither to safety. They squash and jam together in safe places. At lunch time ABC radio reported that some children had been separated for their mother as evacuation centres left people stranded outside - too full, doors closed! Many have sand banked this morning in desperation in places where Anna Bligh, Queensland's Premier has predicted a 7 meter wall of water.

Hopeless we stand and watch Yasi decide where to take it's path.

Please pray that many would turn to God and know His peace at this time. Please pray for Doug's cousin and family in Townsville too, as we worry about their Queenslander house being battered by Yasi.

Here are a few of the 3781 Cyclone Yasi news articles available on the web!

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/were-scared-cardwell-a-ghost-town-ahead-of-yasi-20110202-1addw.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/02/australia-cyclone-evacuation-idUSL3E7D205M20110202?pageNumber=2
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/02/australia-cyclone-evacuation-idUSL3E7D205M20110202 http://www.qld.gov.au/cyclone/

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/cyclone-yasi-generates-social-media-storm-20110202-1adgr.html 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/02/3127780.htm